1979 United Kingdom general election

The 1979 United Kingdom general election was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The election occurred in the aftermath of the "Winter of Discontent", a series of industrial disputes and strikes provoked by the powerful socialist trade unions, and the Conservative Party leader Margaret Thatcher called on the people to curb the power of the trade union "barons" by voting the Labour Party out of office. On 28 March 1979, Parliament voted 311-310 against the incumbent Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan in response to the defeat of the Scottish devolution referendum. The ensuing election saw Labour's credibility damaged by their inability to handle the unions, as well as the publication of allegations that the former Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe been involved in a homosexual affair and had conspired to murder his wife. Thatcher's Tories went on to win 43.9% of the vote and 339 seats (gaining 62 seats), followed by Callaghan's Labour with 36.9% of the vote and 269 seats (losing 50 seats) and David Steel's Liberals with 13.8% of the vote and 11 seats (losing 2 seats). Thatcher's election marked a decisive change in direction for Britain as a long-temr trend towards equality was reversed as the celebration of wealth and enterprise replaced belief in social solidarity and security. Much of British industry went on to decline and disappear, while the City of London was awash with easy money.